The new tubes I bought are labeled "pump friendly" because the have smooth stems. My pump was not impressed. My Topeak "TwinHead™ just blew right off. I had to, barefoot, hold it on with my toes while I used the pump. It was not fun.
I started looking for another head that wouldn't fly off. There's one that comes from Japan (you can't even buy it here) that costs over $70. That's just crazy. Other than that, there isn't much in the high-end department.
You might think I learned my Topeak lesson, but you'd be wrong. I bought a Topeak SmartHead. It's working really well. No leaks, and doesn't explode. The lever is a bit weird in that it flips up to close on the valve. It's a bit hard to jet a finger under it to flip it that direction; it seems like it would be easier to press it down, but that does seem to be how many pumps work these days.
Here's hoping it lasts a really long time.
Hey Curtis, how about a Silca pump head?
ReplyDeletehttp://fcdn.roadbikereview.com/attachments/cyclocross/286795d1379442575t-options-pump-head-sibph24-1.jpg
My wife's and my daughters mountain bikes both have schrader valves, so I need a head that can do both. I actually have a Silca head in my tool box that I bought in 1975 or so.Maybe I should have bought new gaskets and use dit!
DeleteToo bad Silca doesn't make a dual head or a Schrader head. I've gone through a few typical Topeak dual heads myself.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, good luck and good hearing from you.
knotty
The SmartHead works well, but that little pin that the lever hinges on likes to come out of one side making for a cock-eyed lock... so just watch for that and pinch it back in once in a while.
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